Urban Kalispell...

October 9th -- 5:30 pm

We stopped by the horses to tell them that we couldn't find a place to stay at and they had a couple of juicy stories. Before I tell them, I want to clarify: we do natural horsemanship, using Pat Parelli's tecniques.

Kid, being arabian, was being his normal, spooked out self. It's dangerous to have a spooked out horse right beside a highway, so Martha was trying to get him to calm down. She was hitting his side (not hard) with one of the stirrups and swinging the rope. Twice, someone driving by started screaming (really screaming) and hollering at her to stop abusing her horse... “Stop hitting the horse! You don't deserve that horse!!! It's sickening to see how you're treating that poor animal!”

If you know Martha, you would know that she would never abuse anything, let alone her horse (whom she adores and never wants to sell). One gal kept following and turning around again to see if they were still abusing Kid!

One place, they were barely on the edge of someone's lawn, staying away from traffic, and the owner stepped out of her house and was screaming (yes, literally screaming!) at them to get off her lawn “...right now!!!”

This is urban Kalispell.

This is the 5^th farm we've stopped at to ask and finally, someone said that we could camp here. I am glad because it's going to be dark soon.

I am so glad we're all feeling well. :-)

October 9^th, 2008

By the time our host kindly agreed to allow us to camp in his yard last night, I was realizing what Joseph and Mary felt like when there was no room in the inn.

House #1: An older lady, “I have no idea where you might camp... there's the park, though I'm thinking they close at 5pm...” (it was past that)

House #2: A younger gal, “I don't own this place so I couldn't let you do that. Go try the Rebekah farm.”

House #3: An old man, “I have no idea... I just live here....”

House #4: A young man, “Well, this is private property.”

House #5: “Sure! Why not?”

Mom had a smile on her face when she turned from the doorway to give me a thumbs up. :-) We were beginning to wonder what was going to happen. But God provided a thoughtful man, a place to camp and a pasture for the horses.

We were just getting set up when a camper van drove in. The driver of the van jumped out and came over to us. He said was the owner of house #4 and his friend was renting it from him. He was so very sorry that we had been turned away and wanted to find and tell us that it was fine if we camped there... but he was glad that we had found a place.

“He's a good man,” he said, gesturing towards the house.

He told us his name was Bill and that he was a barber by trade. “Barber Bill,” he called himself.

It made me feel better. :-) It's funny to go from feeling like people are going to call the cops on you to a man like our host last night. He kept asking if we needed anything and even offered his shower to us. After such a poor reception, this man was an incredible blessing. Thank you!

Last night, Dad decided to run back into Kalispell to get some air mattresses (we have lost a few due to wind, cold and a few good ol' puctures) and a couple of other things. I begged to go along because I had been pretty chilly the night before and figured it would be even colder this night. I bought myself a new sleeping bag. :-)

This morning, we were all very reluctant to get out of bed so got on the road a half hour later than usual. The riders were walking when we last saw them and they plan to continue to walk for awhile. We're sitting in the Schwan's parking lot beside highway #2 waiting for them to come up. It's beautiful country here and not much traffic on the road they are traveling. It's narrow so less traffic is nice.

Connecting to the internet was interesting yesterday. I got on while we were driving... then it disconnected. So I got my post ready for posting and waited for another few seconds of another connection. It came about a half an hour later. :-)

I keep wanting to mention this but I never remember when I have time to do so!

Even on the days when Ruth was feeling the worst and was crying and throwing up, there was one thing that never failed to make her smile or laugh. It was Gordon Stobbe's song “Tye Manuchuck”. If no one has ever thanked you for composing that song, I am now. There has to be something special in a song that would bring a smile to the face of a three year old who has the stomach flu. :-) Thanks, Gord!

I see horses! :-)

--Naomi

Kalispell... heading out!

October 8^th, 2008

Last night, we made it to Rickel's place and enjoyed a wonderful, although hurried, visit with our friends. Thank you so much for your hospitality!! They offered to put us up in the house but we declined the offer because we try to be selfish about sharing our viruses. :-) We didn't want any of them, least of all, Mr. Rickel (who is recovering from a serious illness) to get what we have. So, some of us were put up in the barn and the rest of us split between a tent and the van.

After I got my blankets arranged, I was warm and slept like a baby because the night before we were up very late getting to Great Falls. I think that night it was closer to 2 am when I got to sleep (on the night of the 6^th). Anyway, I was very ready to go to sleep. :-)

Jessica and Ransom fed us breakfast of pancakes (Yummy!) and we enjoyed the company and the breakfast. :-) Thank you.

Today is looking up and not only because of the hospitality of our dear friends but because everyone seems to be feeling better. Martha was not eating yesterday but today, she's smiling again and she's eating. Ruth is laughing and smiling... Jesse seems to be doing fine...

The only one who is not fine is Al. He's limping pretty badly. A guy came to look at him while we were in Raymond and he said that it will always be a problem. He'll have good days and bad. I hope we can sell him for what we paid for him at least... but I'm not real worried about it. If God wants us to get that price for him, He'll provide a buyer that needs/wants him.

So that's the only problem, for the time being. :-)

We're sitting right in front of Rocky Mountain Baptist church waiting for the horses to come up. Mom wanted to pull of the road sooner but she didn't find a place before now. They have their gates shut and locked but there is room enough for us to be parked here and I'm glad for that. :-) Mom is looking in her mirror watching them come up.

We hope to go to Costco to pick up some lunch and to get some groceries as we're low on supplies.

In Great Falls, we went to Smiths to get breakfast and they had an entire organic section of stuff. I couldn't believe my eyes. :-) It was like being in a candy store! LOL! I bought some organic pasta and I'm anxious to try it out. :-)

4:20 pm

We picked up pizza at Costco and a few other things, then went back and met the riders. It was at the perfect spot... we couldn't have done it any better. It's neat how God provides for details like that! As we started setting up for lunch, they told us that as they were passing a casino, a woman started her car... and that means, the really loud way. Kid jerked and leaped... unseating Martha and smashing into three other horses. One of those was Muckers and between the car noise and Kid slamming into her, she spooked and jumped from the side of the road into the middle of it. When she landed, all four of her feet slid... almost like Bambi on the ice... but Ellie managed to ride through it... and Martha's ok. I am so thankful!

They think that the gal starting the car was intoxicated from the way she drove out of the parking lot. :-P Kalispell drivers... watch out!

So, they aren't riding the horses very much... they're walking. When you think about it... that's a lot of walking. :-)

I'm not crazy about big city horse walking (:-)) but people have been very considerate, I must say. Twice today, when the riders were trying to cross the highway, someone has stopped and told them to go. That's nice to see... especially since life here is busy and folks are in a hurry.

We're trying to find a place to camp now. But it seems that no one is willing to put up a family of twelve and seven horses... even just in their yard. Even though it was windy, I kinda wish we were still in SK or eastern MT. It seems like there are so many gates on driveways. It gives one a cold feeling... like outsiders aren't welcome. Mom has stopped at three places so far but they all said... 'no'. But God will provide. He always has. And always will. :-)

--Naomi